Bowling game with relatively movable sections for controlling ball movement



March 12, 1968 c. l. OBERG 3,372,931

BOWLING GAME WITH RELATIVELY MOVABLE SECTIONS FOR CONTROLLING BALL MOVEMENT Filed March 3, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 T w'i I ATTORNEY5 March 12, 1968 c I OBERG 3,372,931

BOWLING GAME WITH REIJMFIVELY MOVABLE SECTIONS FOR CONTROLLING BALL MOVEMENT Filed March 3, 1965 r Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR can I. 08526 ATTORNEYS C. l. OBERG ELATI March 12, 1968 BOWLING GAME WITH R VELY MOVABLE SECTIONS FOR CONTRCLLING BALL MOVEMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 5, 1965 INVENTOR an 2. 05am ATTORNEY5 United States Patent 3,372,931 BOWLING GAME WITH RELATHVELY MOV- ABLE SECTIONS FOR CONTROLLING BALL MOVEMENT Carl I. Oberg, Annandale, NJ. 08801 Filed Mar. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 436,767 Claims. (Cl. 273-39) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is provided a bowling game consisting of pivotally attached bed sections in which provision is made for the player to release a ball at one section to strike a bumper at the second section, said ball returning to the first section whereat pins to be contacted by said ball are located; with means located at the first section for moving the second section relative thereto for directing said ball.

This invention relates generally to a bowling game and more particularly to a bowling game which can be played, operated and controlled from one end. This game has been specifically designed so that it can be played from one end and with little or no physical movement around the game required by the operator. The advantages of such an arrangement are especially useful for elderly or handicapped persons, or those in wheel chairs, since the game can be played and enjoyed in a sitting position. Additionally, the game can be used in game rooms or places where only limited space is available. The game closely simulates an actual bowling alley and persons who enjoy bowling at a bowling alley will be especially interested in utilizing the subject invention.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a bowling game which simulates the game of bowling in an actual bowling alley very closely, however, such a game of miniature size and which can be played from one end.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bowling game in which the bowling ball can be controlled through mainipulation of actuating devices associated with the game.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a bowling game means for aiding in the setting of the bowling pins into position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bowling game which closely simulates bowling in an actual bowling alley but one which can be made of a reduced size.

A bowling game embodying the invention and the manner of using the same is described herein with references to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bowling game constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the game shown in FIG. 1 with several pins illustrated in position;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in the direction of the arrows as shown in FIG. 1 with the pin set-up board in engaged position;

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in the direction of the arrows as shown in FIG. 1, showing the movable portion of the alley bed;

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in the direction of the arrows as shown in FIG. 1 and similar to the View shown in FIG. 3 with the pin set-up board in disengaged. position, however, the actuating lever for the movable ends of the alley bed not shown;

FIG. 6 is a segmentary end view of the bowling game as viewed in the direction of the arrows indicated by the numerals 6-6 in FIG. 1 illustrating the actuating lever;

FIG. 7 is a segmentary view from the remaining end of the bowling game in the direction of the arrows indicated by the numerals 7--7 in FIG. 1 showing movement of the movable end of the alley bed under the influence of the actuating rod; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1 showing the side gutters.

The bowling game disclosed herein is constructed and arranged to be played from one end-the left end, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2-and as will become evident as the description of the game progresses, the configuration is arranged so that the user of the game can roll the ball up an inclined surface from either side toward the remaining end to strike a planar surface bumper block so that the ball will return toward the operator to strike the pins at the end where the player stands.

The bowling game is provided with a two-section alley bed and a pin platform. The narrow end of the alley bed is indicated by the numeral 10 in the figures and is sometimes referred to herein as the movable end since it can be twisted from side to side as will be seen below in order to guide the balls. The remaining section of the alley bed is stationary and indicated by the numeral '11 in the figures. Section 11 is supported by fixed supports 12 and 13 on an incline and section 10 is pivotally attached to section 11 at 14 and supported at its remaining end by adjustable support 15. The adjustable support includes a cylinder 15a and piston rod 15b telescoped therein which can be adjusted in order to achieve a desired height of the end of section 10, and since the adjustable support engages the end of section 10 in the center, the section is free to pivot and move under the influence of the controls as will be seen below.

Adjustment of rod 15b within cylinder 15a can provide an alley bed composed of sections 19 and 11 which is in substantially the same plane throughout its length, however this is not necessary and the plane of section 10 can differ from the plane of section 11. lln the description herein it will be assumed that they are substantially in the same plane. The numeral 16 indicates the pin platform which is horizontal and which leaves the plane of section 11 at the point indicated by the numeral 17 in FIG. 1. A box 18 is set behind horizontal section 16 and is provided for storage of pins and balls. Section 11 terminates on either side of box 18 in Waste ball collecting boxes indicated by the numeral 19 which are set below the plane of section 11 and positioned so that balls rolling from right to left as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 and which do not go into the gutters 20 or onto horizontal section 16 will fall into one of the boxes 19. Balls going into gutter 20 are directed thereby into box 18 which has a lower side adjacent section 16.

Horizontal section 16 provides a pin platform in which holes 21 are formed through which guiding pegs 22 can project in the raised position of the pin. set-up board 23. The pin'set-up board is shown in raised position in FIGS. 3 and 8 and in lowered position in FIG. 5 wherein the pegs do not project through openings 21.

The pin set-up board is used, as known to those who are familiar with bowling alleys, to enable the operator and player to set the bowling pins, such as the pins indicated by the numeral 24 in FIG. 2, into position. It is contemplated that the pins such as pin 24 will be provided with recesses in their lower surfaces which will complement and receive pegs 21 when the pin set-up board is in its raised position. The operator in the well known and familiar manner will then set the pins 24 on the pin platform with the pegs 21 within the recesses provided in the bowling pins and after all the pins have been set up the pin set-up board is lowered so that it will not obstruct the play of the game. The normal position of the pin-set-up board, therefore, is the lowered position as seen in FIG. 5.

Pin set-up board 23 is supported at one end by identical levers 25, each of which is rigidly attached to platform 23 at 25av and pivotally attached to the under surface of section 11 at 25b. Thus, levers 2S allow for pivotal vertical movement of pin platform 23. The pivotal connections 25b are made sufiiciently distant from the positions of holes 21 so that the pegs 22 can readily move through the openings even though the movement is pivotal. Lever 26 is pivotally connected to the remaining end of board 23 at pivotal connection 26a and pivotally connected at its remaining end to a lever which is indicated in the figures by the numeral 27 at pivotal connection 27a. Lever 27, in turn, is pivotally connected at its remaining end to foot pedal 28 composed of cross member 29 and side levers 3% which are identical and each of which is attached at one end to cross member 29 and at the other end to fixed support 12. The pivotal connection of lever 27 and the foot pedal is indicated by the numeral 27b, and the pivotal connection of each of the members 30 to support 12 is indicated by the numeral 30a. Spring 31 is provided attached at one end to the foot pedal and at the remaining end to support bracket 32 connected to fixed support 12 and upon which lever 26 rocks. The spring 31 yieldingly urges foot pedal 28 upwardly which results in yieldingly urging pin set-up board 23 to the lowered position. Depressing the foot pedal and overcoming the force of spring 31 results in movement through the linkages causing pin set-up board 23 to move from the lowered position shown in FIG. to the raised position shown in FIG. 3.

Actuating lever 33 which is connected at 34 to the end of the bowling game for transverse pivotal movement about connection 34 between actuating lever stops 35 and 36 controls rocking movement of bed section through actuating rod 37 which is integral at end 38 with the actuating lever. The remaining end 39 of rod 37 is turned upwardly and through slot 4d in bracket 40 at the center of the narrow width end of section 10. Rod 37 is formed of a relatively rigid material having a minimum of torsional strain over its length.

In FIG. 6 the actuating lever 33 is shown in full lines in its center position and in dotted or both lines in positions to the right and to the left of the center position. In the right position the rod is indicated by the numeral 33', and in the left position it is indicated by the numeral 33". In FIG. 7 the end of bed section 10 is shown in full lines in the position which it takes when actuating lever 33 is in the center position, at which time rod end 39 is also in its center position and which is also shown in full lines in FIG. 7. The positions of rod end 39 and bed section end 10 when actuating lever 33 is to the right or to the left is shown in broken lines in FIG. 7 with the numerals 1i) and 39 indicating the position of the bed section and the rod end, respectively, when the actuating lever 33 is in the position indicated by the numeral 33' in FIG. 6. Likewise, when the actuating rod is in the position indicated in FIG. 6 by the numeral 33", the numerals 10" and 39" indicate respectively the relative positions of the end of section 10 and rod end 39. It is noted, therefore, that movement of actuating lever 33 between stops 35 and 36 effects a rocking motion of the end of bed section 10.

The numeral 42 in the figures indicates the bumper block which is disposed transversely of bed section 10 at the narrowrnost end and the numerals 43 and 44 in dicate side walls which extend the length of the bed on either side of the bed from the large end to the small end of the bowling game or from the waste ball collecting box on each side to bumper 42. The walls 43 and 44 are broken at the intersection of bed sections 10 and 11.

It is further noted that the bed section 11 is provided with enlarged portions 45 and 46 on either side of gutters 20. In other words, enlarged section 45 is disposed between gutter 2i? and side dd, and enlarged section 46 is disposed between gutter 2i and side 43.

In playing the game, the player puts his foot on the foot pedal 29 causing the pin set-up board 23 to be raised from the position shown in FlG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 3 with the pegs 22 projecting through openings 21 in the pin platform. The player then takes the pins from box 18 while holding his foot on pedal 29 and positions the bowling pins 24 with the recess in each bowling pin receiving one of the pegs 21. After all of the pins have been positioned the player releases pedal 29 and the pin set-up board returns to the position shown in FIG. 5. The game is now ready for play. The player then takes a ball from waste ball collecting box 19 or box 18 and rolls the ball from left to right as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the object being to propel the ball up the alley and allowing it to roll back toward the player in the direction of the pins and knock down the maximum number of pins. The bumper block 42 prevents the ball from rolling oil? the end of the alley. A strike, of course, results when all of the pins are knocked down with one ball. The game is played according to the rules of bowling. The ball on its return can move toward the pins between gutters 2% or can go into either of the gutters 2t) and then roll into box 18. After striking the pins the ball can go into box 18. Another ball is then selected for the second attempt and the player then rolls the ball along the bed composed of sections 10 and 11 toward the bumper block so that the ball can return toward the pins. On occasion, the ball on its return may not go between gutters 20 but may move between one of the gutters and the side and then fall into one of he boxes 19.

Actuating lever 33 is provided for the player to control the return of the ball by movement of section it Thus, this is repeated with players taking turns in the way a bowling game is normally played in a regular alley with each player rolling the ball up the incline after the pins have been set from either side with the ball returning down the incline to strike the pins. The player, by means of the actuating lever, attempts to control the movement of the ball by tilting the narrow end of section 10 from side to side upon its return toward the pins. The gutters are provided to return the ball upon the occasion of a complete miss.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention, as specifically aforenoted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A bowling game played with pins and balls including in combination a first bed section in the form of an elongated planar surface, first support means for supporting said first bed section above an underlying surface, a second bed section in the form of an elongated planar surface adjacent said first section and forming a continuation thereof, first and second remaining non-adjacent ends of said first and second bed sections, respectively, means for supporting said second bed section above an underlying surface with said second end raised to a plane above said first end, a bumper disposed at said second end above said bed section, a planar surface of said bumper facing said first end, side members disposed along the sides of said bed sections forming walls, said first bed section being formed with a horizontal pin platform near said first end with the edge of said platform facing said planar surface in the plane of said first bed section whereby said ball can roll toward said first end confined on said bed by said side members and onto said pin platform to strike pins thereon and actuating lever means at said first bed section engaging said second bed section to enable movement thereof rela- 'tive to said first bed section whereby the direction of travel of said ball can be affected.

2. A bowling game in accordance with claim 1 in which said actuating lever means consists of a rod extending from said first end beneath said first and second bed sections and is attached to said second bed section at said second end.

3. A bowling game in accordance with claim 2 in which said rod has a first rod end providing a handle and a second rod end engaging a bracket attached to said second bed end and said first rod end is capable of limited rotational movement first between stops attached to said first bed section end.

4. A bowling game in accordance with claim 1 in which box means are provided adjacent said pin platform at said first end to receive a ball passing over said pin platform and said first end and gutters in the form of conduits are provided on either side of said pin platform and each of said gutters is opened at one end in the plane of said bed between said platorm and said bumper and opened at its remaining end into said box means to direct said ball into said box means upon its passing adjacent said platform and into said butter.

5. A bowling game in accordance with claim 4 in which each of said butters is spaced from its adjacent side member forming a bed portion between each of said gutters and its adjacent side member upon which said ball can be rolled in the direction of said bumper and upon which said ball can roll upon returning and upon failing to roll onto said pin platform and said gutters.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,064,056 12/1953 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

